Britain’s biggest meteorite discovered after 80 years lying on doorstep

A rock that lay on a doorstep for at least 80 years could be the biggest meteorite ever to fall in Britain according to experts.

Meteorites usually fall to pieces upon impact (Picture: Reuters)

Tests have shown the 90kg (200lb) rock, which is 49cm (1ft 7in) in length, fell to Earth 30,000 years ago.

The meteorite, which lay outside a house in Wiltshire until 1991, was taken to be examined by experts when the homeowners decided to sell the property.

Planetary science professor Colin Pillinger believes that the meteorite must have landed near a glacier which helped keep the space rock intact for such a long period.

‘It’s very unusual to find a meteorite this big in Britain,’ he said.

‘They are very unstable, they contain a lot of metallic iron which oxidises and the meteorite falls to pieces.

‘So the only logical explanation of how such a big meteorite may have survived being on Earth for 30,000 years is that it fell on or near a glacier and was in a deep freeze for 20,000 years.’

The giant rock was then picked up and moved by druids looking for interesting artefacts on Salisbury Plain according to the professor who said he was ‘99.9 per cent’ sure the meteorite fell in Britain.

It is currently on display at the Royal Society in London as part of the Objects in Space exhibition until March 31.